CEFR B2
What you will learn
- Recognise the pattern taught in “Subjective modals: deduction, possibility and source” in a short example.
- Choose the appropriate form from “Subjective modals: deduction, possibility and source” using explicit evidence.
- Apply and justify the rule from “Subjective modals: deduction, possibility and source” in a new case.
Before you start
- Recognise the vocabulary and forms shown in this lesson’s key idea and paradigm.
The idea
A modal can describe an obligation or show how the speaker evaluates the truth and source of a claim. The structure looks similar; context changes its function.
In «Er muss arbeiten» the subject is under an obligation. In «Er muss müde sein» nobody orders him to be tired: the speaker deduces that state from evidence. An epistemic reading is favoured by states, knowledge and perfect infinitives, whereas a controllable future action favours obligation, permission or ability.
There is no universal percentage chart. müssen expresses a very strong conclusion; dürfte gives a cautious and likely assumption; können or könnte leave a possibility open; negated kann nicht can rule an explanation out. Adverbs and evidence alter the force, so these forms rank interpretations, not mathematical probabilities.
sollen and wollen signal source more than certainty. «Die Firma soll verkauft werden» passes on information from elsewhere: it is said that the company will be sold. «Der Manager will nichts gewusst haben» presents the subject's own claim without the speaker endorsing it. This use does not turn sollen into obligation or wollen into desire.
To refer to an earlier event, the finite modal stays in the present or Konjunktiv II and the other verb becomes a perfect infinitive: sie muss gegangen sein, er könnte den Schlüssel verloren haben. The modal itself does not form a Perfekt in this reading because time belongs to the inferred content.
The most reliable test combines three questions: is the subject carrying out an action or being assigned a state? is the sentence evaluating certainty or imposing a rule? does the information come from the speaker, third parties or the subject? One isolated modal never decides the reading.
Personal forms of the modal verbs
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| 1 | ich · muss · kann · soll · will · darf |
| 2 | du · musst · kannst · sollst · willst · darfst |
| 3 | er/sie/es · muss · kann · soll · will · darf |
| 4 | wir · müssen · können · sollen · wollen · dürfen |
| 5 | ihr · müsst · könnt · sollt · wollt · dürft |
| 6 | sie/Sie · müssen · können · sollen · wollen · dürfen |
Epistemic and evidential readings
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| 1 | muss · very strong inference · Er muss zu Hause sein. |
| 2 | dürfte · cautious, probable assumption · Das dürfte reichen. |
| 3 | kann/könnte · open possibility · Das könnte stimmen. |
| 4 | kann nicht · inferred impossibility · Das kann nicht stimmen. |
| 5 | soll · information from others · Sie soll gekündigt haben. |
| 6 | will · claim made by the subject · Er will dort gewesen sein. |
Time reference of the content
| Item | Form |
|---|---|
| 1 | simultaneous · modal + present infinitive · Sie muss müde sein. |
| 2 | prior, with haben · modal + Partizip II + haben · Er könnte den Brief vergessen haben. |
| 3 | prior, with sein · modal + Partizip II + sein · Sie muss abgefahren sein. |
| 4 | prior, passive · modal + Partizip II + worden sein · Das soll geprüft worden sein. |
How it sounds
- Die Straßen sind nass; es muss geregnet haben.The evidence supports a strong deduction about the past.
- Der Bericht dürfte morgen fertig sein.dürfte gives a cautious expectation, not permission.
- Die Autorin soll in Wien leben.The information comes from third parties.
- Der Bewerber will alle Unterlagen geschickt haben.The applicant makes the claim; the reporter does not confirm it.
Check objective 1Another case
A proposed answer is “darf” for this case: “Seit Stunden ist alles dunkel, und niemand öffnet. Sie darf schon schlafen.”. Choose the option that expresses the stated meaning.
A proposed answer is “soll” for this case: “Seit Stunden ist alles dunkel, und niemand öffnet. Sie soll schon schlafen.”. Choose the option that expresses the stated meaning.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: muss — The clues support a strong deduction about a state; muss does not express obligation.
The clues support a strong deduction about a state; muss does not express obligation.
Answer: muss — The clues support a strong deduction about a state; muss does not express obligation.
The clues support a strong deduction about a state; muss does not express obligation.
Check objective 2Another case
A proposed answer is “muss” for this case: “Laut mehreren Zeitungen muss die Firma verkauft werden.”. Choose the option that expresses the stated meaning.
A proposed answer is “darf” for this case: “Laut mehreren Zeitungen darf die Firma verkauft werden.”. Choose the option that expresses the stated meaning.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: soll — Laut mehreren Zeitungen identifies an outside source; soll reports third-party information.
Laut mehreren Zeitungen identifies an outside source; soll reports third-party information.
Answer: soll — Laut mehreren Zeitungen identifies an outside source; soll reports third-party information.
Laut mehreren Zeitungen identifies an outside source; soll reports third-party information.
Check objective 3Another case
A proposed answer is “musste” for this case: “Vielleicht musste er den Termin vergessen haben; sicher wissen wir es nicht.”. Choose the option that expresses the stated meaning.
A proposed answer is “sollte” for this case: “Vielleicht sollte er den Termin vergessen haben; sicher wissen wir es nicht.”. Choose the option that expresses the stated meaning.
Answer available without interaction
Answer: könnte — Vielleicht and explicit uncertainty open a past possibility: könnte plus perfect infinitive.
Vielleicht and explicit uncertainty open a past possibility: könnte plus perfect infinitive.
Answer: könnte — Vielleicht and explicit uncertainty open a past possibility: könnte plus perfect infinitive.
Vielleicht and explicit uncertainty open a past possibility: könnte plus perfect infinitive.
When it doesn't hold
What breaks the rule, said out loud. Hiding it is what makes you feel cheated in the exam.
- Negated, können comes to mean that something is impossible, not that it is forbidden.Er kann nicht krank sein.
- mögen in this use concedes without committing, and reads as written register.Das mag sein.
- wollen here is not wanting: he claims it, and the writer has doubts.Er will Arzt sein.
What your own language pushes you to say
Wrong Er muss gestern krank sein.
Right Er muss gestern krank gewesen sein.
English says «he must have been ill» with the perfect after the modal, and the mapping is close; what gets lost is that German needs the full double infinitive at the end of the clause.
Challenge: apply every rule
Solve every case and justify each choice: 1) A proposed answer is “darf” for this case: “Seit Stunden ist alles dunkel, und niemand öffnet. Sie darf schon schlafen.”. Choose the only valid form. 2) A proposed answer is “muss” for this case: “Laut mehreren Zeitungen muss die Firma verkauft werden.”. Choose the only valid form. 3) A proposed answer is “musste” for this case: “Vielleicht musste er den Termin vergessen haben; sicher wissen wir es nicht.”. Choose the only valid form.
Answer available without interaction
- Recognise the pattern taught in “Subjective modals: deduction, possibility and source” in a short example.
- Choose the appropriate form from “Subjective modals: deduction, possibility and source” using explicit evidence.
- Apply and justify the rule from “Subjective modals: deduction, possibility and source” in a new case.
Answer: muss · soll · könnte
The clues support a strong deduction about a state; muss does not express obligation. Laut mehreren Zeitungen identifies an outside source; soll reports third-party information. Vielleicht and explicit uncertainty open a past possibility: könnte plus perfect infinitive.
Continue along this corridor
Practise this: Er muss krank sein: when the modal is not an order but a guessParticiples as adjectives: condensed attributes